5 pm central game:
Tennessee -3 -110 5 units
5 units is my highest rated play
Last year, the Vol offense had 23 first downs to the Gators 17. Bray still threw for near 300 yards & 3 TDs even after Hunter was injured on the first series. The difference in that game was a few big plays by Rainey and Demps. One was a short pass that Demps took 83 yards for a TD. Since that game UT has added alot of size and speed to the defense and Rainey and Demps are no longer there. I think that is the major difference in this game. The Vols now have the big playmakers and the Florida offense does not. Florida has shown that they are not explosive on offense and have to grind games out. Even though the Gator RB Gillislee will play, he will not be 100% In all my experience in football, there is never a such thing as a "slight" groin injury on a RB or WR or DB for that matter. Florida is going to be forced to make some plays down the field. This Vol defense is more talented than the A&M defense that got 8 sacks in 24 drop backs. Last years Volunteer bend-but-dont-break defense sacked Brantley 3 times. This year they have a much more attcking multiple-3-4 base unit. The Vols LB crew will put a ton of pressure on Driskel & should force him into some mistakes. Again, look for sophomores AJ Johnson and Curt Maggit to have a major impact on this game.
Flipping the sides, the Gator defense has been highly touted. This same defense only sacked Bray 1 time last year. The Vol offense has allowed 1 sack this year. They only gave up 1 sack to the Gators in the game last year. This is also the same offensive line that only gave up 18 sacks total in 2011 after playing teams including Georgia, Alabama, LSU, & S. Carolina. This was also an offensive line that started 4 as sohomores last year, now they have a senior, 3 juniors, & a soph. I'm not sure where people are thinking that Bray is going to be harassed much by Florida. Bray has also showed alot of maturity this year so far. Instead of primarily forcing the ball deep, he has checked it down when needed. I expect TE Mychal Rivera to get plenty of looks underneath especially early. Florida claims they will play alot of press man which I think could very well burn them. With WRs Hunter and Patterson being 6'3" & 6'4" & running 4.4 & 4.3 (Patterson even runs a 10.3 100 meters), it will be a tall task on any teams dbs with Bray throwing one of the best deep balls in college football. Florida LB Jelani Jenkins out & hey will start a freshman, Antonio Morrison, in his place. This is not a good game for a freshman to be starting but what really hurts that defense is the leadership of Jenkins.
Much has been made out of who wins the rushing battle will win the game but that is very misleading. Many of those games when say Florida would get up big they would then run the hell out of the football. The Tebow gators relied heavily on the run . Fulmer's teams were predominantly run the ball first teams. That really doesn't apply to this version of UT. The Vols don't need to win the rushing battle, all they really need is effective rushing attempts.
This is still a young Tennessee team with only 2 regular senior starters so far. The belief there is that they had a real shot last year and the air went out when Hunter went down early. They are a confident bunch that truly believes they can win this game unlike so teams of the past that weren't so much. Florida played a tough road game last week in the Texas heat and got banged up. It's going to be hard for them to turn around and go play in front of a rabid fan base of 100,000 vs a quick strike offense & attacking defense that will be feeding off of crowd. I think this game has blow out potential written all over it. The only chance Florida has is to get some turnovers and slow the game down and I don't think they have the advantage in personel that they used to have to be able to do that. There's too much positive energy going the Vols direction here.
Good luck.
Go hard or go home.
Tennessee -3 -110 5 units
5 units is my highest rated play
Last year, the Vol offense had 23 first downs to the Gators 17. Bray still threw for near 300 yards & 3 TDs even after Hunter was injured on the first series. The difference in that game was a few big plays by Rainey and Demps. One was a short pass that Demps took 83 yards for a TD. Since that game UT has added alot of size and speed to the defense and Rainey and Demps are no longer there. I think that is the major difference in this game. The Vols now have the big playmakers and the Florida offense does not. Florida has shown that they are not explosive on offense and have to grind games out. Even though the Gator RB Gillislee will play, he will not be 100% In all my experience in football, there is never a such thing as a "slight" groin injury on a RB or WR or DB for that matter. Florida is going to be forced to make some plays down the field. This Vol defense is more talented than the A&M defense that got 8 sacks in 24 drop backs. Last years Volunteer bend-but-dont-break defense sacked Brantley 3 times. This year they have a much more attcking multiple-3-4 base unit. The Vols LB crew will put a ton of pressure on Driskel & should force him into some mistakes. Again, look for sophomores AJ Johnson and Curt Maggit to have a major impact on this game.
Flipping the sides, the Gator defense has been highly touted. This same defense only sacked Bray 1 time last year. The Vol offense has allowed 1 sack this year. They only gave up 1 sack to the Gators in the game last year. This is also the same offensive line that only gave up 18 sacks total in 2011 after playing teams including Georgia, Alabama, LSU, & S. Carolina. This was also an offensive line that started 4 as sohomores last year, now they have a senior, 3 juniors, & a soph. I'm not sure where people are thinking that Bray is going to be harassed much by Florida. Bray has also showed alot of maturity this year so far. Instead of primarily forcing the ball deep, he has checked it down when needed. I expect TE Mychal Rivera to get plenty of looks underneath especially early. Florida claims they will play alot of press man which I think could very well burn them. With WRs Hunter and Patterson being 6'3" & 6'4" & running 4.4 & 4.3 (Patterson even runs a 10.3 100 meters), it will be a tall task on any teams dbs with Bray throwing one of the best deep balls in college football. Florida LB Jelani Jenkins out & hey will start a freshman, Antonio Morrison, in his place. This is not a good game for a freshman to be starting but what really hurts that defense is the leadership of Jenkins.
Much has been made out of who wins the rushing battle will win the game but that is very misleading. Many of those games when say Florida would get up big they would then run the hell out of the football. The Tebow gators relied heavily on the run . Fulmer's teams were predominantly run the ball first teams. That really doesn't apply to this version of UT. The Vols don't need to win the rushing battle, all they really need is effective rushing attempts.
This is still a young Tennessee team with only 2 regular senior starters so far. The belief there is that they had a real shot last year and the air went out when Hunter went down early. They are a confident bunch that truly believes they can win this game unlike so teams of the past that weren't so much. Florida played a tough road game last week in the Texas heat and got banged up. It's going to be hard for them to turn around and go play in front of a rabid fan base of 100,000 vs a quick strike offense & attacking defense that will be feeding off of crowd. I think this game has blow out potential written all over it. The only chance Florida has is to get some turnovers and slow the game down and I don't think they have the advantage in personel that they used to have to be able to do that. There's too much positive energy going the Vols direction here.
Good luck.
Go hard or go home.
